Tag: Videos

Vaping Diaries #86: Five Pawns Review II

Here’s a review of three e-liquids from Five Pawns: Grandmaster, Queenside, and Gambit. There are several Los Angeles vape shops that carry Five Pawns and these seem to be the most popular flavors. All three are high-quality juices made with natural ingredients. One of them is comparable to similarly flavored juices, another has a unique twist that distinguishes it from the competition, and the last is something quite special.

Five Pawns uses an atypical business model that’s focused on retail. The company’s online prices are the same as the ones you’ll find in stores — $27.50 for a 30ml bottle. Compared to other online vendors, that’s expensive, but I think two of these juices are definitely worth price. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Grandmaster: Elvis would have loved this e-liquid, as peanut butter and banana are the primary flavors. There’s also some caramel in the mix. Some people feel that this juice is a bananas-Foster style e-liquid, but I disagree because the (lovely) peanut-butter flavor make it different from the popular NOLA dessert. A lot of vendors offer bananas Foster, but peanut butter-and-banana juices are much less common and this one stands out. Like several other Five Pawns juices I’ve enjoyed, Grandmaster is very rich and savory, with a fantastic mix of flavors that come together for a delicious blend. As a fan of peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, this juice was a real treat.

Queenside: This juice features blood orange and French vanilla as its primary ingredients. The end result is an orange-creamsicle style juice, which is something many, many vendors offer. That said, this is one of the better ones out there. The French vanilla flavor is particularly excellent. While this is definitely a high-quality juice and I enjoyed vaping it, I don’t think it’s as special as some of the other Five Pawns e-liquids. There are a few orange-creamsicle juices that taste just as good to me and are available for a lower price. Personally, I would buy Ahlusion Orange Creamsicle over Queenside.

Gambit: This is — hands down — the best apple pie e-liquid I’ve ever vaped. I enjoyed it so much that I quickly finished the bottle and had to buy another one to photograph for this review. Normally, I don’t enjoy brightly sweet e-liquids unless they have complexity. Gambit has complexity in spades. You can taste the apple, French vanilla, crust, and cream. The flavors come together marvelously for a brilliant, rich, and complex vape. Out of the six Five Pawns e-liquids I’ve had, this one was my favorite — definitely one of the best juices I’ve had in 2013.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Grandmaster
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 10-17, 2013

Queenside
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 14-19, 2013

Gambit
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 10-17, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #85: EHPro EA Mod Review

The EHPro EA Mod is an affordable mechanical vaping device with surprisingly great performance. It’s a clone of the Electric Angel EA Mod (which some vapers consider a clone of the Golden Greek) with some minor improvements. While the fit and finish aren’t as nice as the Finnish mod it’s based on, the EHPro clone provides better performance for 1/4 of the price. This is the mod that made pay attention to Chinese clones.

What’s in the Kit: The EHPro EA Mod comes in a fairly ordinary box. It’s a clone and I’ve yet to see fancy packaging for a clone. The box comes with a short tube and a long tube to accommodate different batteries (18350 to 18650). Also included is a polishing cloth. One minor nitpick is that the longer tube isn’t long enough to accept an 18650 battery and an Evolv Kick.

Build Quality and Construction: The EA clone is primarily made from stainless steel. The button and contact points are made from gold-plated brass. The gold plating helps the mod’s performance, since gold is more conductive than brass, but users need to treat it gently. Gold is a relatively soft metal, so care must be used when cleaning the contact points. For the price, I was impressed with the materials used.

The mod’s lines are very clean, but the internal machining work is uneven. The threads are decent, but could have been smoother. One of the tubes in my kit had shavings around the threads, which is just sloppy. The overall build quality is good, but not great, which is acceptable for the product’s price.

Ergonomics and Design: The EA clone has a side-mounted firing button placed at the bottom of the mod. I like this type of button placement as the mod’s weight is distributed evenly through your hand, but some vapers don’t like hitting the firing button with their pinky finger. The button itself has a slightly better feel and is easier to take apart for maintenance than the one on the original EA Mod. Most importantly, it didn’t misfire once. I found the mod very comfortable to hold and the button action quite smooth, but that’s subjective.

The mod uses a floating pin, allowing atomizers of various sizes to sit flush. I had no problems with various direct-dripping atomizers, clearomizers, carto/tanks, and rebuildables I used with it. This is a very easy mod to work with in my experience. However, some users have reported that the floating pin is too long and can’t get their atomizer to sit flush.

Performance: The EA clone’s low voltage drop was quite surprising. It’s very, very good — much lower than the original’s. This mod hits hard and delivers true power. If performance is your chief concern then you’ll be quite happy with this mod. I had average expectation’s for the clone’s performance and was pleasantly surprised by what it delivered.

Verdict: While it doesn’t have the craftsmanship of the original, the EHPro EA Mod offers superior performance. If you’re just starting out with mechanical mods then this is a great choice. It’s also a fantastic option for experienced vapers that want a backup device or one that they’re not afraid to beat up. With online prices ranging from $50 to $60, this EA clone is a sweet value. You get great materials and decent build quality in a mod that performs as well or better than those that cost four times as much.

Vaping Diaries #84: Janty Ludo’s, RY4-X, SE555 Review

Here’s a review of three e-liquids from Janty, best known as the creators of the original eGo e-cigarette and the RY4. Ludo’s, RY4-X, and SE555 are covered in this article. The first two juices are based on two of the excellent RY4s I covered in Vaping Diaries #82, while the other is Janty’s take on a popular artificial tobacco flavor. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Ludo’s: This juice is named after Janty’s president and founder Ludo Timmermans. It’s based on the company’s DK RY4, which is my favorite artificial RY4 on the market. The first thing that hits you is mint, followed by the excellent DK RY4 flavor (neutral tobacco + caramel + vanilla), and topped off by a coffee after taste. It’s a very interesting and complex juice, but it’s definitely not for everyone. Personally, I loved the striking blend and found this juice to be the most enjoyable of the three covered. Some of my friends found the mint overpowering and didn’t care for the coffee note…but I (respectfully) think they’re nuts. This is a great juice.

RY4-X: If you took Janty’s Classic RY4 and cranked the tobacco up to 11 then you’d have RY4-X. To me, the unique tobacco flavor and great balance is what makes Classic RY4 so excellent. While this is certainly a very good juice, turning up the tobacco actually made RY4-X less enjoyable to me than Classic RY4. My personal preference is for naturally-extracted tobacco, so if I want a tobacco-heavy RY4 then I’ll go for something like Goodejuice’s GJ4. Again, this is a very good juice, but the balance of Classic RY4 is what makes it great and that’s out the window with this juice. If you’re a fan of lab tobacco flavors and want a bit of sweetness to round things out then you’ll probably like this one.

SE555: Many vendors have e-liquids based on State Express 555 cigarettes. They’re almost always sweet tobaccos with a touch of nuttiness (the fruit variety, not the mentally unstable variety). Janty’s RY4 is a good 555 e-liquid, but it’s not as distinct as the two RY4 variants above and it’s comparable to many 555s that are available. At $15.95 for a 20ml bottle, the online price is expensive. You can find 555 e-liquids that are just as good or better for a lower price.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

DK Ludo’s
House PG/VG ratio, 11mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Classic RY4X
House PG/VG ratio, 11mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

DK SE555
House PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #83: Vapour Art GP Spheroid v2 Review

The Vapour Art GP Spheroid (version 2) is a fantastic atomizer that’s great for vapers that love the full flavor of dripping, but are unsatisfied with the airy draws that many Genesis-style atomizers have. It’s a bottom-coil atomizer that uses Sera Wool, which is similar to the material that’s inside a cartomizer. Unlike a cartomizer, the heating element is separate from the filler, so the latter doesn’t diminish the flavor. The Spheroid is a well-made device that has the firmest draw of any rebuildable atomizer I’ve tried.

Build Quality: Vapour Art is known for its top-notch build quality and the Spheroid adds to its reputation. It’s made from surgical-grade stainless steel and has a thermoplastic insulator. The machining is extremely impressive, with silky smooth threads and clean lines.

Design: The Spheroid is a tall and thin atomizer. It has a minimalistic and classy design that’s built around how it works. It’s currently available in a polished finish, with a matte finish slated to arrive later in 2013. It looks fantastic on top of polished steel or polished brass mods. I love the way it looks, but am anxious for the matte version.

Performance: Like I said in the intro, the Spheroid has the firmest draw of any rebuildable atomizer that I’ve tried. If you like tight draws and want a rebuildable then you should pick one of these babies up as soon as Vapour Art releases more. While I love the taste that Genesis-style atomizers produce, I loathe the airy draws that they have. The Spheroid offers the full flavor of dripping coupled with a very satisfying draw.

The Spheroid is a versatile atomizer too. You can adjust the position of the coil relative to the air hole for different results. If you want more vapor then you position the coil lower. If you want more throat hit then you position the coil higher. I was surprised by how a slight adjustment made a very noticeable difference.

The filler material gives you some juice capacity. Vapour Art lists the capacity range as 2.2 to 3.2ml, depending on how much filler you use. I never got that much, since I preferred to use the filler conservatively. Using a thin layer of Sera Wool wrapped twice, I usually got around 1.5 to 2.0ml of juice.

Ease of Use: Setting up the Spheroid is like setting up a rebuildable dripping atomizer (RDA) with one extra step. You set up your wick and coil to the desired resistance. There are several ways to set up your wick; a friend suggested a “lasso” shape and that has worked brilliantly for me.

The next step is wrapping some Sera Wool around the post. This is the easiest part to mess up. When I first got the device, I used too much Sera Wool, which lead to flooding. I quickly learned that a little Sera Wool goes a long way and settled on a thin layer wrapped twice. I know a few people that use a Spheroid and most of them got used to working with Sera Wool quickly. Only one of my vaping buddies hates working with it. Personally, I find it easy to work with once you figure out how much filler works best for you. That said, it is an extra and finicky step that some vapers will not like.

My only issue with the Spheroid is that its posts use thumb screws. This is a thin atomizer and you don’t have a lot of room to work with. The thumb screws can make things difficult for clumsy vapers or those with large fingers. My rebuilding skills are pretty average and there were times that the thumb screws annoyed me. They’re also really easy to lose. I know a guy that has accidentally sent a few down the drain (Hi Tez!).

While it’s not quite as simple as just building a coil for an RDA, setting up a Spheroid is a process that most vapers should be able to handle.

Verdict: There’s a lot to love about the Vapour Art GP Spheroid. The build quality is excellent, it’s a handsome device, the flavor is top notch, the vapor production is solid, and the throat hit is superb. Yes, it requires a little more effort than an RDA, but the effort is totally worth it. Not only do you get a bit of juice capacity, but you get an extremely satisfying draw. Vapour Art releases these atomizers in small batches and I highly recommend picking one up during the next release.

[Edit: August 3] Please note that the b-roll used in the video was just to show the basics of what’s needed for the Spheroid. It was not meant as an instructional or “How To” video. It was filmed quickly so the coil was sloppy and a thicker piece of Sera Wool should be used. While it’s relatively easy to work with, you should be mindful of your coil and the amount of Sera Wool you use to get the most out of this fantastic atomizer.

Vaping Diaries #82: Janty RY4 Review (DK, Classic, Elixir)

RY4 is arguably the most copied e-liquid in vaping. It was invented by Janty back in 2007 (more details here) and the vast majority of e-liquid companies in the world have served up their own version. For this installment of the Vaping Diaries, I checked out three RY4s from the company that started it all — Janty’s DK RY4, Classic RY4, and Elixir RY4.

When newer vapers hear RY4, they think of sweet e-liquids that highlight caramel and vanilla flavors. Those are modern RY4s. Classic RY4s, like these three, are generally bright, balanced, and slightly to moderately sweet. They use a relatively neutral tobacco flavor that’s complemented by caramel and vanilla flavors. The result is something quite unique. Some classic RY4s have an element that many RY4 aficionados call “sour.” I’m not certain that’s the best word for it, but I can’t think of a better one, so let’s just go with that. You can definitely tell that these three e-liquids have the same roots, but they diverge in different manners. While two of these juices have relatively old formulas, to me they’re still among the best RY4s you can buy. While the other is very good, I don’t think it’s quite in the same league as its sister products.

Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

DK RY4: This juice is the closest to the original formula and to me it’s still the best synthetic RY4 out there. The balance is perfect; the tobacco, sweet, and sour notes come together seamlessly and no one flavor dominates. Out of these three juices, it had the most “sour” flavor, which can taste strange to those that have only vaped modern RY4s. I’m sure that most newcomers will get over it and enjoy this incredible juice. After trying a few dozen RY4s, this is still my gold standard — the one I compare all other RY4s to.

Classic RY4: Vapers that enjoy the taste of synthetic tobacco might prefer this juice over DK RY4. Their profiles are very similar, but the tobacco flavor in Classic is more pronounced and distinct. It doesn’t dominate the juice by any means, but its flavor is definitely easier to detect. For tobacco e-liquids, I greatly prefer naturally extracted tobacco (NET) over synthetic tobacco, so this juice’s leanings didn’t do much for me. It’s definitely a top-quality RY4 and I’ve playfully bickered with vaper friends over which Janty RY4 is the best. My pal ECF Jerms, for example, thinks it’s this juice and I totally understand why he thinks so.

Elixir RY4: Elixir is the sweetest of the three, with an emphasis on the caramel (to my tastebuds, anyway). You can tell it’s related to the other two juices, but I didn’t enjoy as much as the others. While this juice has its fans, I don’t think it’s in the same league as its sister products. It’s definitely very good — certainly as good or better than many RY4s you can buy. It reminded me of a celebrity’s less-famous sibling. I don’t want to say it’s Frank Stallone or Ozzie Canseco…. Perhaps Elizabeth Olsen is the right celebrity analogy. DK and Classic are the Mary Kate and Ashley, while Elixir is the Elizabeth. That’s fair, right?

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

DK RY4
House PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Classic RY4
House PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Elixir RY4 VG
House PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: April 24, 2013 7:12PM
Vaped: May 14-June 15, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #81: Innokin iTaste 134 Review

Innokin has been pumping out quality devices that combine great performance and great prices. The iTaste MVP, iTaste SVD, and iTaste VV 3.0 are among the best in their respective categories. The iTaste 134 adds something really different and unique to Innokin’s lineup. Unlike its sister products, it doesn’t attempt to offer an affordable device with all the modern features you’d expect. The iTaste 134 offers a distinct style that makes it stand out from the crowd. Its “cool” design comes at the price of some features and performance. Read on to see if this unique vaping device is right for you.

What’s in the Kit: The iTaste 134 comes in a decorative box that includes the device and one iClear 30 clearomizer. The review sample I received was black with silver bars. An all-silver version is also available. The device has an MSRP of $169, so expect a street price a little bit lower than that.

Ergonomics and Design: The most outstanding — and divisive — feature of the iTaste 134 is its design. It’s definitely distinct and noticeable. People either love or hate it. I brought it to four different vape shops in two weeks and people with geeky tendencies loved it; they either enjoyed that it looks like an M134 machine gun or were giddy because it looks like a lightsaber. The people that hated it thought the design was too extreme, saying that it sacrificed functionality for coolness. No matter the case, the iTaste 134 received more attention than any device I’ve ever brought to a vape shop. You won’t need to see it in person to decide if you like the device’s looks (in my experience, many mods look better in person than they do photographed). What you see is what you get with this mod.

As for ergonomics, it really depends on the user. If you like heavy mods then there’s a good chance you’ll like the feel of this one. If thin-and-light mods are your thing then you definitely won’t enjoy using this device — it’s very big and very heavy. As someone that prefers hefty mods, I found the iTaste 134 enjoyable to use. Going into the review, I thought that the silver bars would make it uncomfortable to hold, but that wasn’t the case. After a few days of using it, I became accustomed to the weight and didn’t find it uncomfortable to hold. (Of course all my other mods felt like pencils after using this one.) While the length and weight didn’t bother me, I completely understand that many vapers will find this device cumbersome.

Construction and Build Quality: Like the iTaste MVP and iTaste SVD, the iTaste 134 features very good build quality. It’s a solid device that’s put together well. It’s also a very complex device to assemble (24 screws that you can see and probably several more inside that you can’t), so there are many areas where mistakes could be made. To my delight, there weren’t any loose screws or rattling parts in my review unit.

The two minor problems I had were with the scroll wheel and the firing button. I wanted the wheel to give off a louder click and have a tighter feel. The firing button was too “clicky” for me and I wanted a springier feel. These are two areas that will be improved in the final version of the device. My Innokin contact said that the button and scroll wheel on the final version will be made from better material that’s more durable. The final scroll wheel will also have a louder click. Obviously I can’t say how these facets of the device will end up, but keep that in mind when you’re reading reviews that are posted around the same time as mine or before — this is not final hardware and minor changes will be made.

Operation: This is one facet of the device that isn’t getting much attention. It’s so easy to use. Since it’s variable wattage, users don’t have to worry about the resistance (ohms) of the equipment they put on top. The output will be consistent. The scroll wheel couldn’t be easier to use; you simply slide the wheel to the desired wattage. In many respects, the iTaste 134 is like an eGo-C Twist on steroids. For vapers that find menu systems using multiple button clicks confusing or annoying, this mod is a great choice. It combines the simplicity of an eGo-C Twist with 18650 battery life and the accuracy/versatility of variable-wattage performance.

The ease of use comes at a price though: functionality. Since it doesn’t have an LCD screen and menu buttons, the iTaste 134 doesn’t do all the things that its sister product, the excellent iTaste SVD, can do. The big one for me is the battery indicator, which only gives basic information using three colors (green = high charge, yellow = average charge, red = low charge). Some people have complained that the iTaste 134 can’t display resistance. My Innokin contact said that since the device is variable-wattage then there’s no need to see resistance since the output will be whatever you set it to. I agree with him to a point. Most users don’t need to see resistance. There are some good reasons to know the ohms of your juice delivery system (particularly for people that build their own coils), but most users don’t need to know this. That said, even people that don’t need to know their resistance want to. I totally get the need for useless info. I’m a mark for advanced sports metrics. I’ve wasted hundreds of hours on Wikipedia researching things I don’t need to know about. While I use delivery systems that require rebuilding, I also use lots of standard gear. No matter the case, I find myself checking resistance for no reason other than “because I can.”

Performance and Battery Life: For the review, I used the iTaste 134 with rebuildable atomizers, direct-driping atomizers, a carto/tank, and a clearomizer. In all cases, the output was consistent. Compared to the iTaste SVD, which I found to be a very accurate device, the output felt a tiny bit lower at the same wattage settings. While it was a little puzzling considering that both devices use the same PCB, according to my Innokin contact, the variance wasn’t large enough to bother me.

The biggest issue I had was with the device’s wattage range. It can be set from 6.5 to 12.5 watts. However, from 7.0 to 12.0 watts it can only be adjusted in 1.0-watt increments. (And no, you can’t set it between numbers on the scroll wheel. The device won’t fire.) Compare that to the iTaste SVD (which, again, uses the same PCB), which has a range of 3.0 to 15.0 watts that can be adjusted in 0.5-watt increments. It’s not so much the limited range that bothered me (though that will certainly be an issue for some vapers) as much as the 1.0-watt adjustments. Being able to fine tune output for certain juices or delivery systems is a big deal and that can’t be done with the iTaste 134. As someone that usually vapes at 8.5 watts, I had to compromise in one direction or the other. I felt like Goldilocks with only two choices: “This vape is too soft. This vape is too hard.” With a lot of the juices I vaped on the iTaste 134, I couldn’t get the “just right” taste that I’m used to.

As for battery life, it all depends on the battery you’re using and your vaping habits. Using the excellent Panasonic NCR18650B, I got around 1.25 to 1.5 days of vaping per charge.

Verdict: If you’re looking for a great vaping device with all the bells and whistles then you should take a good look at the iTaste SVD. It simply does more than the iTaste 134. If you’re looking for a powerful mod that’s easy to use then the iTaste 134 could be a great device for you. What it all comes down to is looks. This is a very unique and distinct mod. For some people, a $150 street price is worth paying just to have something different. For others, it’s not. The iTaste 134 is somewhat limited and certainly heavy, but there’s nothing else like it on the market.

I like that the iTaste 134 is atypical and love that Innokin has tried something different in order to diversify its lineup. It’s a very unusual move for a Chinese vaping company. Most manufacturers from China release “me too” products, straight-up clones, or devices with unarguably ugly designs. I applaud Innokin for releasing a device that’s strikingly unusual. Would I buy one? Yes. I’m a big enough nerd to get $150 of vaping enjoyment just off of its looks. That said, I completely understand vapers that feel that this device is too limited and unwieldy for their money.

[Update July 29]: Innokin dropped me a line to make sure that people know not to use stacked 18350 batteries with the iTaste 134. The combined 7.4 volts of power may damage the PCB.

Vaping Diaries #80: eBaron Dripper Pro by Leo Review

The eBaron Dripper Pro by Leo is a rebuildable dripping atomizer (RDA) that features great build quality, handsome looks, and versatile building options. It’s priced similarly to other high-end RDAs, but the cost is worth it — particularly for ProVari owners and/or vapers that are uncomfortable with the rebuilding process. After using the Dripper Pro for several months, I’m very impressed with it. It’s a great dripper for vapers that want a quality device and are learning the ropes of RDAs.

Build Quality: The Dripper Pro is made from 304 stainless steel. The threads are smooth and I haven’t had any problems with the O-ring after several months of use. It’s a well made RDA that’s built to last.

Design: This is a very handsome dripper with classy looks. Although it was made to match ProVape’s popular ProVari vaping devices, it looks great on many mods. The upper chamber is smooth stainless steel, while the base has a series of dimples, subtle branding, and a serial number.

Performance: The Dripper Pro hits like you’d expect any small RDA to. You get great flavor and vapor production, with more throat hit than other juice delivery systems. Yes, you can get comparable performance from drippers that cost less than $20, but with this device you’re paying for build quality and style.

Ease of Use: This is where the Dripper Pro gets interesting. It uses CE2 ceramic cups to hold the wick and coil. Experienced vapers can rebuild the whole thing. It’s recommended that you use resistance and non-resistance (NR) wire for building coils, which adds a step some people find complicated. It’s possible to use all resistance wire, but I don’t recommend it since the extra heat has the potential to ruin your O-ring.

Those that are uncomfortable with building coils for tight spaces can buy pre-made wicks with NR leads and extra ceramic cups. After placing the wick in the cup, you insert the wires, plop it down, cut the excess wick, and cut the excess wire. It’s a fairly straightforward process that many vapers can handle.

People that are completely uncomfortable with rebuilding can by whole cup/coil units. It doesn’t get any easier than this. You pop the unit into the Dripper Pro and cut the excess wire. This is a nice option for vapers that have difficulty with rebuilding, but want the full flavor of dripping.

Verdict: The eBaron Dripper Pro is a well made device that offers great flavor, vapor, and throat hit. I was impressed by its looks and performance, and really appreciate the versatile rebuilding options. While it’s true that you can get similar performance from a cheaper device like the Youde IGO-S or a number of China clones, you’re getting quality workmanship and sweet style with this dripper. For those that need it, this dripper offers completely simple rebuilding. Whether you’re an experienced vaper or just starting out with RDAs, the Dripper Pro is a great choice that will serve you well.

Vaping Diaries #79: Five Pawns Review

If you’re looking for complex e-liquids with amazing flavors then you should definitely check out Five Pawns. In a very short time, the company has become one of the best e-liquid vendors in the world, as far as quality goes. Its juices have a complexity that I’ve only seen from a handful of other companies.

Positioned as premium e-liquid, Five Pawns juices come in glass bottles covered with cardboard tubes. The box protects the bottle and adds a classy look. Each bottle lists the mix date, lot number, and bottle number. The packaging reminds me a lot of Apple products; slick labeling and packaging envelope a superior product, enhancing the experience.

A lot of people get sticker shock when they see the price of Five Pawn’s e-liquids — $27.50 for the standard line and $37.50 for the Reserve line (30ml bottles). Yes, they’re expensive compared to other online vendors, but as I learned during my interview with Five Pawns president Rodney Jerabek, the business focuses on retail. Since Five Pawns doesn’t want to undercut its retail partners, the online prices are the same as retail prices. With many brick-and-mortar shops selling average juice (or worse) for $1 per milliliter, the Five Pawns prices are inline. Of course it all comes down to taste. To me, these juices are absolutely worth the price and I’ll definitely be buying more bottles in the future. That said, I totally understand why some people think they’re too expensive. As they say in Thailand, “Up to you.”

The three juices covered in this review are Bowden’s Mate, Absolute Pin, and Castle Long Reserve. The last juice is particularly unique, as it’s aged for three weeks in a treated oak barrel. All three juices are rich, flavorful, and complex. If you’re the type of vaper that enjoys simple and straightforward juices (which can be delicious in their own right) then these might not be for you. If you appreciate complex flavors and unique mixes of multiple ingredients then you should definitely check out these juices. Here are the the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Bowden’s Mate: This is a sweet, creamy, and minty e-liquid. The French vanilla and mint hit me right away on the inhale. A nice chocolate followed those flavors. Yes, there are many vendors that make an “Andes Candies” type of juice, but this one is better than any that I’ve tried. Five Pawns’ French vanilla is wonderfully delicious and totally makes this juice, making it different from the other chocolate/mint flavors out there. Like other Five Pawns e-liquids, it’s finely crafted and the flavors come together splendidly.

Absolute Pin: Absinthe fans must give this juice a try. The tasting notes mention a “subtle absinthe undertone,” but the anise dominated the flavor to me. (To be fair, I’m pretty sensitive to anise due to several unfortunate Jaegermesiter-fueled evenings.) Complementing the anise are caramel, cinnamon, and Irish cream. It all comes together for a ridiculously complex and boldly flavorful juice. It’s definitely not an all-day vape for me, as I can only take anise in small doses, but I really appreciate the blend. I never thought absinthe and caramel would work so well together. A few friends of mine that love absinthe juices mentioned that this is one of the best and most unique blends they’ve tried.

Castle Long Reserve: The insert included with the bottle says, “What’s in this bottle is special.” That’s not pretense or exaggeration. This is a truly special e-liquid. Toasted almond and coconut hit me right away, followed by vanilla. The vanilla flavor in this juice isn’t as dominant as it is in some other Five Pawns flavors; it’s more complementary, while still adding to the deliciousness. Further in the background is a touch of bourbon. The flavors come together amazingly. Castle Long Reserve is a finely crafted juice that’s easily one of the best and most unique I’ve ever had.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Bowden’s Made
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 6-10, 2013

Absolute Pin
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 6-10, 2013

Castle Long Reserve
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: May 25, 2013
Uncapped: July 5, 2013 6:40PM
Vaped: July 15-19, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians Preview/Interview

Last week I caught a demo of Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians, a unique platform/music game developed by Threaks and being published by Reverb. Executive producer Ted Lange took me through the game and chatted with me after the demo. Beatbuddy features a story by Rhianna Pratchett and music from Austin Wintory (Journey). Lange described the game as being “familiar and different.” It has platform elements that will instantly feel familiar to gamers that have played loads of Mario and Sonic games, but also has a distinct art style and makes very unique use of music.

Beatbuddy stars a globular hero named Beat. He’s one of three musical spirits, along with Harmony and Melody (though he totally looks like a water-type Pokemon to me…perhaps Manaphy’s cousin). The evil Prince Maestro wants to enslave music, while the ethereal music spirits think that music should be free for everyone. It’s up to Beat to lead the charge and liberate music. (Rumor has it that Beat, Harmony, and Melody are in cahoots with Kim Dotcom.)

As I mentioned in the intro, the game features unique use of music. Each level’s track is broken up so that different objects and enemies represent different musical instruments. For example, a menacing creature will pulsate to the rhythm of the track’s bass drum, while obstacles will move in time with the hi-hat. As Beat moves closer to a particular enemy or object, the corresponding instrument’s sound will become louder. The music — and the individual instruments that make the track — define the level as much as the art and layout. It’s a unique twist that adds a cool layer of interactivity.

The game’s art is beautiful and distinct. In an age where 3D rules the roost, it’s refreshing to see a videogame with hand-painted art. The color palette and style give the game a charming look, while the use of layers gives it a pseudo-3D feel.

Check out my interview with Ted to learn more about the game. As a fan of old-school NES and SNES platformers, as well as a fan of music games, I’m really looking forward to Beatbuddy. After you’ve watched the vid, leave your thoughts on the game in the comments section (please!).

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians will be released on August 6, 2013 for Windows PC, Mac OS X, and Linux for $14.99.

Vaping Diaries #78: CravinVapes Review

CravinVapes is an e-liquid company out of Angola (the one in Indiana, not the one in Africa). The company makes a variety of juices at affordable prices and claims to “use USP food grade flavors and organic extracts.” 30ml bottles cost $12, which is on the lower end of the spectrum for made-to-order juices from American vendors. The juices come in plastic bottles with subtle labels.

For this review, I chose three dessert flavors: Vanilla X, Sunkiss Float, and Maple Nut Bestie. I was pleasantly surprised by two of the flavors and found the other to be just okay. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Vanilla X: There are thousands of vendors that sell vanilla e-liquids and I was pleased to find a superior one in Vanilla X. This is a rich, creamy, and sweet vanilla that has a thick texture. The vendor describes this e-liquid as having a touch of custard-like flavor. It’s great on its own, but also handy as a mixer. If you have a juice that needs a kick of creaminess and sweetness, add some Vanilla X and you’re good to go.

Sunkiss Float: In my head, this juice was supposed to have the great taste of Vanilla X, complemented by a tangy orange flavor. Unfortunately, that’s not how it turned out. It’s not a bad juice by any means, but there are many orange creamsicle e-liquids out there that are better. The orange flavor is underwhelming and the recipe is a bit off. The qualities that I enjoyed in Vanilla X were tough to detect in Sunkiss Float.

Maple Nut Bestie: I’m usually not a fan of candy e-liquids, but I’m a sucker for Brach’s Maple Nut Goodies so I had to try this one. The company did a very good job of replicating the flavor. You get peanuts, toffee, and maple syrup in a mix that blends together nicely. Yes, it’s a very sweet flavor and has some artificial tastes, but so does the candy that it’s based on. While it’s out of my wheelhouse, I enjoyed this juice.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Vanilla X
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 11, 2013
Uncapped: March 23, 2013 5:47PM
Vaped: June 1-5, 2013

Sunkiss Float
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 11, 2013
Uncapped: March 23, 2013 5:47PM
Vaped: June 1-5, 2013

Maple Nut Bestie
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 11, 2013
Uncapped: March 23, 2013 5:47PM
Vaped: June 1-5, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.